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Monday, May 2, 2011

Charlie's angel enters our world

Every pregnancy has been different and every labor/delivery has also. Charlie....she is a stubborn little girl! She was a footling breech until week 36, as in the night before my sonogram is when she flipped! Gary and I watched her do it...it was awesome and a little painful. It was that day when I realized that I was in for a roller coaster ride with her :)
I was not over due, although I felt like it. I was almost 39 weeks and was scheduled for a Saturday induction. We were told that they would call between 8-12...when they had a bed available. Well, my phone rang at 6:25 am! This sent us rushing around to shower and pick my Mom up before heading to the hospital. My mother in law had the kids Friday night just in case we got a call to come in early...which we did! Gary and I were showered and arrived at Magee by 7:40!
I got checked in and waited for a resident to check my progress before they started the induction. Of course my contractions were showing up on the monitor but I was not progressing at all. The Dr called and asked if I really wanted to be induced today or wait till next week. Um, yes I still want to be induced even if it means another LONG labor. See, I am known for my long labors...43 hours for Dom and 21 for Logan. I was given the cervical pill at 10:15 am and was checked on 4 hours later with very little progress. The Dr ordered pitocin since my contractions were now every 3-4 minutes.

We waited all afternoon and I was going no where fast. My contractions were coming on quicker and stronger but in the form of the baby wanting to come out...well she was just being stubborn. I got my epidural and the continued to up my pitocin amount every hour. Finally, at 10:30 pm I was making some progress....3cm! (Figures my Mom had JUST LEFT!)
I was not checked again until 12:30 and whoa boy I was at 6cm :) Finally, we are getting some where! The next hour went by in a flash and everything changed. I was super uncomfortable and decided to roll over when it felt like a rubber band snapped....wosh...water broke. I called the nurse and she checked on me. Just like that, it was GO TIME! She informed me that Charlotte had gone to the bathroom and there would be a team of pediatricians in the delivery room to check on her. Um, yuck and okay...is she going to be okay?! I am a champion pusher and it only took 7 to get my little lady into the world. (to which I asked Gary, whoa is she out already?!)
They laid her on my belly and I had tears running down my face...I could not see her for very long because the Drs needed to make sure she was okay. They checked her out while Gary took pictures. She was perfect and beautiful. Full head of hair, 8.2 pounds, 20.75 inches, chubby, long fingers and toes!

I decided to watch this delivery, I had never done that with the boys. I knew this was it for us and wanted to make sure I had no regrets. It was an experience that I will never forget. She is an angel baby!

Since Gary and I decided that 3 kids was enough, I had my tubes tied right after delivery. It was 3 am, I was in the OR while Gary was left in the labor/delivery room to feed our baby girl. The procedure is quick but not painless. I am still in constant pain from the procedure, which can make taking care of an infant a little difficult. The hubs has been great with taking care of me through this. It is going to be hard when he goes back to work...3 weeks might sound like a lot of time off but I wish he could take more!
Family and friends came to visit Charlotte at the hospital...even though she was born on Easter Sunday!

Welcome to our family....Charlotte "Charlie" Sierra Over!

Charlie has completed our family, warmed our hearts and opened our eyes to a new world! We love you!!